Falcons avoid Hornets sting for 32-29 win

“Way to escape with a win,” CM head coach Todd Cook said he told his team after the game. “We’re still winning. But we didn’t play with a lot of energy. Monroe does a good job taking you out of what you want to do. Maybe with a game last night and a game Friday night, we didn’t full-court press.

“Plus I’m limited on my numbers, so we decided to go half court (defensively). Maybe that’s a little bit my fault. It may have taken our team out of tempo a little bit. But they slowed us down. They make you play defense for 45 seconds to a minute every possession.

“Overall, we came out with a W.”

The Hornets (6-7) had a chance to tie after Massie missed the front end of a one-and-one with 17.9 seconds left.

They also had a chance to tie with a three, but missed, the possession before that, after a pair of Brendan Lamb free throws gave the Falcons (10-2) its 32-29 margin with 33.7 seconds to go in the game.

Lamb led all scorers with nine points.

Clinton-Massie led most of the night, but by no more than six. It took a 23-19 cushion into the final period, but Monroe scored the first six to take its first lead of the game, 25-23 at the 6:21 mark.

Monroe led or was tied with Massie for the next three and a half minutes until Griffin Laake banked in two to give the Falcons the lead for good, 28-27.

Collin Deaton and Jack Taylor led Monroe with six points each.

Monroe also dropped the JV game, 49-47, after a game-tying attempt missed the mark at the buzzer. Three Falcons reached double-figures, led by Carsyn Valentine with 13. Nate Baker and Tate Olberding had 10 each.